Since the invention of the garbage disposal, virtually every new house and apartment unit has one. When a garbage disposal unit is in place, the sink now has three different modes of operation. Before, the sink had either a plugged mode of accumulating water to wash and rinse dishes, a second open mode in which water is drained, and now, with the disposal, the sink has a third mode in which the garbage disposal is on and waste material is ground up and washed away in the waste line from the sink.
In the prior art, the mouth of the garbage disposal is generally fitted with a rubbery insert with inwardly projecting flaps which act as a splash guard. Then, into the splash guard, there may be a metal trap-like fitting with two modes, one of which is perforated to allow water to pass through, and the second of which blocks the trap so the sink can be filled. There are also, of course, simple circular rubber flaps that can be used to block the drain.
Unfortunately, the splash guard is not always effective, and there is generally some splashing that passes through the inwardly directed flaps. Also, the insert trap may have very fine openings which will become clogged with waste from the sink and slow or stop the drainage process, and these bits and particles may also prevent the second mode of the trap, in which drainage is prevented entirely, from being affected because the part that needs to slip into place to block the drain will be jammed by food matter.
There is therefore a need for an improved disposal guard which will make available all three modes of sink operation effectively, simply, and cheaply.